Smoked tempeh holds its own in this rich, spicy New Orleans favourite, and nicely complements the milder red beans. Browned flour takes the place of the usual dark roux, lowering the fat content of the dish with little loss of flavour.
1/2 cup (125 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp (30 mL) dark sesame oil, divided
8 oz (230 g) fresh or frozen baby okra, ends trimmed and chopped into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) thick rounds
2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 large bell pepper (any colour), seeded and chopped
10 green onions, chopped
4 cups (1 L) cold low-sodium vegan “chicken-style” broth (see recipe here)
14 oz (420 mL) can low-sodium diced tomatoes and juice
8 oz (230 g) smoked tempeh, cut into 1/2 in (1.25 cm) cubes
2 cups (500 mL) cooked small red beans or kidney beans, or 1 - 19 oz (540 mL) can, drained and rinsed
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) liquid smoke
1/4 tsp (1 mL) cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To make browned flour, heat dry cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add flour and stir constantly until it is as dark as coffee, being careful not to burn it. Don’t leave it alone for a minute! Take it off the heat as soon as it is the right colour and set aside.
Heat 1 Tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil in large heavy pot over medium heat and sauté okra for about 5 minutes. Remove okra and set aside.
In same pot add remaining sesame oil and olive oil in large heavy pot. Add onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper, and green onions. Sauté until onion softens. Stir in browned flour, then broth, tomatoes, okra, tempeh, red beans, bay leaf, thyme, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
Taste gumbo for salt, and add pepper liberally. Spoon gumbo over rice, if desired.
Serves 8.
Each serving contains: 260 calories; 14 g protein; 11 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 27 g carbohydrates; 8.5 g fibre; 135 mg sodium
Did you know?
Okra is a vegetable commonly used in southern US and Creole cooking and in African, Middle Eastern, Greek, Turkish, Indian, Caribbean, and South American cuisines. Okra, like eggplant, oatmeal, barley, and psyllium, contains viscous fibre, which traps dietary cholesterol and fat in the digestive tract and speeds their removal from the body.
source: "Tempeh for Dinner", alive #358, August 2012
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.
These mildly spiced salmon tacos served with sweet and spicy pumpkin seeds will bring a party together. Make a small quantity of salmon go further when you pair it with a fresh red cabbage slaw featuring citrus and cilantro. Drizzled with some bright lime yogurt, the flavours come together perfectly. Sustainability status Wild salmon from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska are considered among the most sustainable, as the fishery is subject to limited harvests. With salmon stocks in decline, supporting managed fisheries such as these can help maintain populations into the future. That may also mean eating salmon less often than we do now. Salmon is a favourite Salmon is the most popular variety of fish in Canada and the second most popular in the US.
B12-rich mussels are a very good and economical source of protein and iron. Steamed mussels are a classic way to enjoy seafood—and so is this rich, aromatic broth of tomato, fennel, and saffron. Be sure to allow saffron to fully infuse to get the full flavour benefit, and finish off the dish with the fragrant fennel fronds. Sustainability status Farmed mussels are considered highly sustainable due to their low impacts on the environment. They are easy to harvest, require no fertilizer or fresh water, and don’t need to be fed externally, as they get all their nutritional requirements from their marine environment. Mussel prep Selection: Look for mussels with shiny, tightly closed shells that smell of the sea. If shells are slightly open, give them a tap. Live mussels will close immediately. Storage: Keep mussels in the fridge in a shallow pan laid on top of ice. Keep them out of water and cover with a damp cloth. Ideally, consume on the day you buy them, but within two days. They need to breathe, so never keep them in a sealed plastic bag. Cleanup: In addition to being sustainable, farmed mussels tend to require less cleaning than wild mussels. Most of the fibrous “beards” that mussels use to grip solid surfaces will have been removed before sale. But if a few remain, they’re easily dispatched: grasp the beard with your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward the hinge of the mussel and give it a tug. Afterward, give mussels a quick rinse and scrub away any areas of mud or seaweed, which, with farmed mussels, will require minimal work.
The delicate flavour of shrimp is highlighted with just a touch of lemon and a hint of mustard, while radish and celery give some fresh crunch to this dish. Eat it in lettuce cups, on top of greens, or served on whole grain bread for a filling snack. Sustainability status Both wild and farmed shrimp can be sustainable depending on where they’re caught and how they’re raised. See our article “Sea Change” for more information about choosing ethical shrimp.